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Chase handed two-match ban

Castleford stand-off Rangi Chase has been banned for two games after being found guilty of a reckless strike during his side's win over Leeds.

Chase, the 2011 Man of Steel, was charged over the tackle that knocked out his England team-mate Zak Hardaker and was also fined £300 when he appeared in front of the Rugby Football League's disciplinary committee.

He will miss the Tigers' Super League match at Bradford on Saturday and their home game against Catalan Dragons on Sunday week.

Catalan Dragons prop Julian Bousquet was banned for four matches for the challenge that put Salford's French scrum-half Theo Fages in hospital.

Bousquet, 22, who was making only his fourth appearance in Super League, was sent off just three minutes into his side's 40-6 win over the City Reds in Perpignan on Saturday.

Bousquet, who made his debut for France against England in the final of the autumn international series in November, was also fined £300 after being found guilty of intentionally striking with his shoulder.

Fages, 18, who made his Super League debut against Wigan a week earlier, was knocked unconscious by the tackle and the game was held up for eight minutes as he received treatment on the pitch.

He was released from hospital later that night but was not cleared to fly and is still in France recovering at his family home.

He is now due to return to Manchester on Thursday and is expected to be out for two weeks.

Widnes prop Ben Cross, who was sent off for a late tackle in his side's 16-4 defeat by St Helens on Sunday, pleaded guilty to a late tackle on St Helens captain Paul Wellens and was given a one-match ban.